Fateful Courtship Dance
by reiko.souma
Summary: Content advisory: Parental loss and references to parental loss. The Japanese word for "dragon" had been written in Reiko's notepad five years ago by the father of its current host, the second spirit of the Jūnishi that she had learnt of. After meeting Shigure during her first hospital stay, the cocooned Butterfly hasn't been the same. One-Shot.


Fateful Courtship Dance

Summary: The Japanese word for "dragon" had been written in Reiko's notepad five years ago by the father of its current host, the second spirit of the Jūnishi that she had learnt of. After meeting Shigure during her first hospital stay, the cocooned Butterfly hasn't been the same.

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket, its characters, and anything affiliated with it are the property of Natsuki Takaya. Reiko Souma, any references to her former pediatrician Shourim Manti, and her family belong to me.

* * *

"Hey, Souma-baka! You gonna move, or what?" One of the pink-headed girl's classmates was standing next to her; the third-year student of Minata Middle School was retying her left sneaker after the laces had come undone. She was ready for her gym class, and they were going to be running on the track today. Aside from cooking, running was Reiko's favourite pastime. It meant not having to be anywhere near her classmates because she could just run as far from them as possible, silently knocking them down a few pegs without having to say a word.

As the Butterfly, they were thought to be slow-flying, fluttering their wings without a care in the world. Well, that was what most thought on observation when it actually couldn't be further from the truth. Butterflies were fast, unpredictable, and difficult to catch...but nobody needed to know that about Reiko. Not only was she not saying a word, she turned to shoot a glare at the boy who had just called her an idiot. He was the idiot, if anything, choosing to harass her when he could simply go around her and continue on his way.

Another girl joined her friend. "You're still trying to make her talk? The freak hasn't said a word since she was in primary. Don't expect the pink to leave her and suddenly make her smart enough to say anything." The brunette reached for Reiko's hair. "Why don't we do something about this hair, Minato-kun?"

There would be no touching the mute teenager's hair, though. At just two inches away, Reiko grabbed the girl's hand and yanked it back, the glare still very much present on her face. She let go when the girl cried out in pain and ran off to the track before she could be late for class.

"Right on time, Souma-san. I was about to mark you late." Mr. Yamati was one of the only teachers that Reiko had more than an ounce of respect for, having been the one to see the silent teenager run. The first time he saw her run a lap around the track, he had taken notes on her form and running speed. Then one of the third-year students from Kaibara High School had spoken to him about inviting Reiko to join the track team once she started high school, provided she got into Kaibara. What a shame that third-year would soon be graduating. Reiko was just starting to warm up to her. "Souma. Is everything okay? You look like you might not be feeling well."

He was given a nod and two thumbs up in response before the girl walked off to do some stretch exercises. Reiko was doing a split on the grass with her hands on her right leg when she saw someone standing in front of her and looked up. Shigure. What in the world was _he_ doing here? He, like the one who had recruited her to join the track team, was also a third-year at Kaibara High School. Kaibara was several blocks away from Reiko's middle school, which meant the Inu had to be skipping his class.

Noting the confused look on the Albino's face, Shigure squatted down where he stood. "We had a half-day because of our annual class race, so I came here to see you," he told the thirteen-year old. As was his usual whenever he saw the girl, he ruffled the top of her head. "Well, that last part isn't entirely true. I came here to pick you up per Kazuma-kun's request. He wants to see you at the dojo."

Out came the notepad and pen. "Again?" Reiko wrote. "You're lying. Why are you really here?"

"It's not for martial arts lessons, if that's what you're thinking." He tussled her hair again.

"I'd rather run first," the girl added in her notepad, "excuse me." She closed her notepad and stuck it back in her pocket, along with her pen, before standing up. Reiko left the Inu behind to watch her do what she had told him she would do, run.

"Excuse me...what are you doing here?" Mr. Yamati asked Shigure.

"I'm one of Souma-chan's flatmates. Her guardian couldn't make it to pick her up for her doctor's appointment today, so he sent me in his place...once she's done running, that is." Little drops of sweat slid down the backs of both his and the teacher's heads as they watched the pink-headed girl run her laps around the track.

_Tweeeeeeet!_ The whistle blew. "Souma!" Reiko was called over by the teacher. "You're free to go. I'll see you tomorrow." With a nod and a polite bow, Reiko silently excused herself to the locker room to change back into her school uniform. She emerged a few minutes later to find Shigure waiting for her, leaning against the wall. He straightened from his lean and walked over to her. "Well, are you ready now?" the taller teen asked. Reiko nodded, and they started to walk from the middle school. It wasn't as far from the Sohma Estate as Kaibara was, but it would still take some time. On the way, Reiko wrote down her question of what the real reason was for her being picked up from school today. "Kazuma-kun really did send for me to come get you today, Rei-chan...always so suspicious." He made a face that feigned hurt. "And to think, I'm the loyal one. How hurtful!"

"Your guilt trips still don't work on me," Reiko wrote. She poked the Inu with her pen playfully. Then she poked the tip of his nose with it before adding, once they were in the Estate, "I don't expect anything I do to work on you either."

How surprised would she be! Shigure took her pen as she poked him, put it back in the metal coils of her notepad, and pulled her to him. "You work better than Akito-san sometimes."

Reiko, however, pulled herself away to write again. "I can never be better than God. Nobody can."

"You're right," Shigure told her. Giving up on a second attempt of an embrace, he instead tapped her shoulder to start walking again. She did and, by the time they were at the dojo, the Inu had been poked by Reiko with her pen about a dozen times more for messing with her hair. Reiko bowed immediately upon seeing Kazuma. Then she gestured at Shigure.

"Hello, Reiko-chan. I'm glad you and Shigure-kun could come. Reiko-chan, you've missed one too many of your appointments that I've had to intervene like this." It wasn't an apology, considering the slightly concerned look on the grey-haired man's face. There was also the sound of one clearing their throat from behind the pair. The Sohma doctor had decided to make a house call to see Reiko himself. Great. Now she couldn't run off somewhere.

"Hello, Reiko-san. I'm glad you decided to cooperate today," was the doctor's greeting.

_Yeah, only because I was tricked into coming back here...wait a minute. Why does he sound so different?_ The teenager blinked at the realisation that the former Dragon didn't sound like himself. His voice sounded like what, sandpaper in his throat? Maybe he needed some water?

"Excuse me, but you don't sound like yourself. Are you in need of a doctor as well?" Reiko wrote down. She pointed to his throat as her writing was read. Leaving him to hold onto her notepad, the girl went into the kitchen. Two minutes later, she returned with some iced water in cups. The doctor was the first person she offered a cup of water to.

Seeing the look of genuine concern on her face, he took the cup and offered a small smile. "Thank you, Reiko-san," he said, "I assure you that I'll be all right." As convincing as he sounded, Reiko just couldn't bring herself to believe him this time. Her stomach was forming the same knot that it had formed when Shourim had informed her of her parents passing. The small extra dose of kindness, the small smile he offered to her then, was something wrong? Her parents had smiled at her just before they had fallen down in front of her...what in the world was happening?

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" Reiko wrote in a sudden fit of rage. "THIS IS HOW I WATCHED MY PARENTS DIE, AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT FOR NOT KNOWING THE SIGNS SOONER!" Flinging her pen and notepad down, there was a blur of pink as the American native took off running.

"Rei-chan! Come back!" Shigure called. He looked up when he felt Kazuma's hand on his shoulder.

The same man shook his head. "True to the nature of her curse, Reiko-kun's movements are unpredictable. That includes her speed...she knows we'll find her," Kazuma told the Inu.

The two, plus the doctor, first checked at Kazuma's house. In the event that Reiko had returned there, they could give the exam there. Unfortunately, she wasn't there, and she didn't have her pen and notepad with her. How would she communicate now?

–•–•–•–

Where Reiko had run off to was somewhere within the Sohma Estate. Basically, it was a place that she wasn't allowed to be at without Akito's permission because of her status as an outsider. Cursed that she was, she was more of an outsider than the Cat itself because of the Butterfly not even being mentioned in the main folktale of the Jūnishi. Sure, there was the account that Akira had given her as reassurance, but Akito had dismissed it as nonsense relating to her father's failing health.

That didn't make it any less validating to Reiko, however. The teenager had stopped running when she was sure that she was out of sight of the groundskeepers, which was curled-up behind a tree. She was in silent sobs over the thought of the doctor eventually passing on as her parents had and brought her knees up to her chest so that she could hug them. In truth, Reiko had no idea of what she would do once he did pass away. Would that be her fault as well? Now she really didn't want to see him again. Let someone else be his last patient.

"Hello," a younger, and much less sandpaper-sounding, voice greeted her. Surprised that she had been found, the teenager raised her head. A young man with lavender-coloured eyes stood before her. He knelt down when he saw that she was crying. "Is something wrong? You're crying." Reiko reached for her notepad and pen, only to remember that she had flung both away from her back at the dojo. Terrific. She obviously hadn't been thinking when she had done that. "Can you speak?"

Reiko shook her head no and pointed to her throat. She hoped this would be the first, and only, hint that she was mute. The young man, thinking that she simply had laryngitis, searched his pockets. Reiko, however, motioned for a pen and paper. Having only a pen, he took it out and offered it to the girl, who accepted it. She wrote on her hand, "My name is Reiko Souma. I haven't spoken in six years. Thank you for the pen. Who are you?"

The young man had to move closer in order to read the writing on her hand. When he had, he said, "My name is Hatori Sohma. My father is a doctor here." Reiko pointed at him. "Yes?"

"Dragon?" she wrote, "You're the son of the former Dragon?"

"Yes, that is correct." Hearing that, Reiko let the pen drop from her hand. So, Hatori _was_ the Dragon or the Jūnishi! She could hardly believe it! Just when she thought she would never get the chance to meet him, he had found her! Now she was crying again, but for a different reason. "Hey..."

_POOF!_ There was a bright pink cloud in front of Hatori as Reiko transformed into her Butterfly form. Her school uniform fell to the ground where she had been sitting, and now she - a two-inch cocoon - sat motionless on top of her clothes. The sky was clear and sunny, a good thing for Reiko in her current helpless state. Any rain, wind, or snow, and she would be worse for wear. Hatori, not knowing of this, now sat and eyed the cocoon with concern. He also had no clue of what he was supposed to do. Waiting for Reiko to change back was the only thing he could do.

When she did, she was curled-up in fetal position with her long hair covering most of her like a blanket. "Reiko-san...are you okay?" Hatori asked. He turned his back when the younger of the two sat up to get dressed, having only stolen a brief peek at her nakedness. She was beautiful, but he wished he could hear her voice sometime. Whatever it was that had caused her to stop speaking, obviously had to be deeply traumatic. It was strange, though. She was still moving about independently...suddenly, Hatori had his own questions for Reiko.

Speaking of, the girl lightly tapped the other's shoulder to let him know that she was dressed. He turned, and she put her finger to her lips to shush him. She didn't want anybody to know that she was here, not when she had run from Kazuma's dojo to begin with. When Hatori opened his mouth to speak, Reiko covered his mouth with one hand and shook her head no. Then she took advantage of his moment to land a quick kiss to the Dragon's cheek. Lowering her hand, Reiko was gone once more.

–•–•–•–

It was the first time Reiko would start wandering about outside of the Sohma property by herself. She wanted to forget everything that had just happened, as difficult as that would be to actually do. Knowing that she would eventually have to return to Kazuma's, the girl sighed silently. There was no running away from one's problems permanently. They would still be waiting for one to face them. It was doubly true for those who were under any form of the Curse, including Reiko, who had to be more careful than the Sohma who were cursed. She could hug any Sohma, whether they were cursed or not, but she couldn't hug anyone who wasn't a Sohma. No, she had no idea if those married into the Sohma family counted...her parents had never hugged her.

Reiko ignored the stares that were being shot in her direction. She knew why people were staring at her. It was how she looked, and she was still wearing her now-dirty school uniform. She never did change out of it at all...oh well. It could just be washed for the next day. If she went back to Kazuma's today, that is. What was he going to do, track her down and drag her to her doctor's appointment?

"Rei-chan!" Oh no. No! The last thing she wanted was to be found when she was trying to enjoy her freedom. "Hey, Rei-chan! Wait up!" Shigure. Leave it to the Inu to be the one who bumped into Reiko. "Rei-chan! I know you can hear me!"

There was another sigh as the young teenager moved away from the foot traffic to stand in the shade. She made it clear that she wasn't happy about being found by folding her arms and scowling. Everything about her posture and body language was asking of what he wanted, even though she knew what he wanted. He was going to take her back to Kazuma's for her appointment. What was with Shigure, anyways? After Akito, he was the only one from the Jūnishi who Reiko saw more than once (Hatori didn't count). He either showed up where she was, or he followed her around, just like the animal from the Jūnishi that he represented.

Said Inu saw the dirt all over the girl's school uniform and pointed it out. "Did you fall again? That's why your uniform's so dirty, isn't it?" he asked. Reiko's scowl and folded arms was the closest thing to an answer that Shigure was going to get. "Oh, that's right. After you ran off, I picked these up off the floor. Here you go." He took her notepad and pen from his pocket and handed both to her. "Rei-chan, everybody's worried about you."

Reiko unfolded one arm to take her communication lifeline from the other. "You mean they're worried about their reputation after I lashed out," she wrote, "why do you even care? It's not like I'm one of you guys, even with my Curse."

"You know that's not true. After you ran off, they were worried that you might get sick. I worried that you might not come back at all," Shigure said, "I care because you're my friend, Rei-chan. No matter how you feel." He moved so that he was now standing next to her. "Please, will you go back to Kazuma-kun's house for your appointment?" But, Reiko turned her head away from him and folded her arms once more. "Why not?"

"..." She looked back to Shigure, no longer scowling. "They'll find out that I met the Dragon," she wrote down.

There was surprise when Shigure said, "No, they won't." Taking hold of Reiko's right elbow, he started to guide her along. "Come on. You know you can't stay outside in the sun for too long." Knowing that he was right, the girl let him pull her away from the wall and take her back to the house.

Because she had been away for too long, she now had to be escorted to her doctor's appointment. Thankfully, she was able to change out of her school uniform first. Reiko knew what awaited her. A lecture about avoiding her appointments was one thing she knew she would be getting, maybe a second one about controlling her emotions better. It wasn't her fault that she only knew about anger, sadness, hurt, and no emotion at all. The positive emotions - happiness, joy, excitement - were still very much new to her. Shourim had to at least be credited with trying to introduce the latter to her, at least.

"Reiko-san. So, you made it back." This was it, the start of the lecture. "You were gone for over an hour. That was how long Shigure-san was looking for you. That you're here means he found you-why are you crying?" So much for the lecture and the appointment being done and over with right away. She was crying for the same reason that she had lashed out at the doctor to begin with: he now reminded her of her parents' final moments before their deaths.

Kazuma was called in out of concern. Watching just outside the room was Hatori, who was still trying to process everything that had taken place during his first encounter with Reiko. "It's entirely possible that she sees your current behaviour as a change," the grey-haired man said. By now, the young teenager was hugging herself and crying into her knees. "From what she had last written earlier, it's triggering very painful memories of her past that she's still having a very difficult time coping with."

Wasn't that the truth. Her parents' deaths were something that Reiko still hung onto to this day. Most would typically want to forget about the loss of someone who had done nothing more than abuse them, but not Reiko. To this day, she still loved them in spite of everything because they had done four things that no truly cruel set of parents would do: keep a roof over her head, clothe her, feed her, and take her to a doctor whenever she was sick. Five, if one was to include not giving her up for adoption as soon as she was born. Weren't those things basic signs of loving parents?

"Reiko-san." The doctor turned back to the still-crying teen. "Are you listening?" Reiko nodded. "I understand you're still in tremendous pain over the loss of your parents. You may always be in pain, but that doesn't mean you can start avoiding your monthly appointments." And, there it was. Finally, the sign of a typical Sohma doctor. Reiko was almost relieved, but she was still concerned. "I certainly hope you won't start avoiding my son once he becomes a doctor. It wouldn't be fitting of you to do." That got her attention. Not only had he mentioned Hatori without actually saying his name, he had basically just assumed that Hatori would be following in his family's path of pursuing a career in the medical field. "Now that I have your attention, you still have your appointment."

For this, Kazuma excused himself. By then, Hatori was already gone, no longer standing in the doorway.

–•–•–•–

Nobody expected Hatori's father to pass away three days later. Having fallen seriously ill, death only followed too quickly. The cause was unknown, but the rumours were already flying of the possible causes, but the one consistent detail among everybody was of his not feeling well during his last days. The passing had been sudden, leaving Reiko with mixed feelings of anger and depression whilst wondering how Hatori was taking this. She had learnt of his mother passing years before from Kazuma, who kept her home from school so that he could watch over her.

Reiko had called it. She had recognised the warning signs through the change of behaviour and tone of voice, but nobody had believed her. "I knew it. I knew it would happen! It was almost as sudden as my parents dying right in front of me!" The teenager was writing in her notepad angrily, ranting about how she felt like nobody had believed her when she had previously lashed out. "I would have to _die_ before anyone here believed me! At least Salem-ji believed me! I want my Salem-ji!"

Kazuma had feared for this. He could only offer the teenager some comfourt by letting her cry on his knee whilst rubbing her back, eventually hugging her since he knew she wouldn't transform. The man was used to Reiko's breakdowns since they happened at least once every year, so he was prepared each time. Keeping her home from school for a few more days was one thing he had to do. What if she transformed during class? They couldn't have that.

During Reiko's fifth day out of school, she decided to venture over to the Main House. She knew she shouldn't, being that the Butterfly wasn't allowed, but she was going there anyways. She wanted to see how Hatori was holding up instead of staying holed-up at Kazuma's any longer. The girl would go crazy if she stayed put any longer! Grabbing her umbrella and venturing out in the rain was her plan, and she jogged there to minimise her exposure to the elements. It would be very bad if she transformed in this kind of weather, so on she went.

Entering this part of the property meant blatantly ignoring Akito's "rules." Reiko was a human being, not just the hostess of the Butterfly spirit, so she found no reason to abide by this specific rule. She recognised the entry point of Hatori's house from her number of visits for doctors' appointments as she closed in on it, all of which Kazuma had taken her to since she wasn't going willingly. Well, now she was going willingly. Wouldn't he be proud if he knew.

Dressed entirely in black with a short skirt and a half-sleeved shirt, knee-high boots as her footwear of choice, Reiko shut her umbrella and left it inside of the entryway with her boots. Walking down the hallway, she felt like she was nine all over again; it was as if it was her first time there all over again. How dark it seemed, just like what she was used to, but not just physically. She could _feel_ the familiar weights of grief in the atmosphere with every step she took towards the sitting room.

By all right, Reiko shouldn't even be there. She was uninvited by anyone but herself and had let herself inside. It was with good reason, though, as she was there to try offering some form of kindness to Hatori. His father had been strict, but he had also offered Reiko some kind of reassurance and gentleness. She owed him much appreciation, and more. She would give the former Dragon that by being there for his son.

An older woman's voice could be heard. Reiko recognised it as one of the older housekeepers who helped maintain the beauty of the Estate, specifically Hatori's house. "Young master, surely you don't mean..? Is that really well-advised?"

"She was the last patient that he saw prior to this. If nothing else, then she could be feeling some amount of guilt." Hatori stood by a window. The drapes were drawn, save for a small slit, which he was looking through to see the rain coming down outside right now. It was coming down, and hard. "She need not say a word for me to know."

_Who is he..?_ Reiko stood as still as a statue and continued to listen from where she stood.

"Young master, you remember what Akito-sama said of the old tale. To invite one not even mentioned in it at all would be-"

"My decision to make," Hatori finished. He didn't turn away from the window. "Would you excuse me, please?" Reiko had ducked behind a tiny table in a small room by then to keep from being caught. Brave that she was, this was a time where she wanted to be careful.

This wasn't a necessity to her. It was something she wanted to do, so she stayed where she was and watched as the housekeeper walked by the room. As soon as she turned down a small side hallway to go elsewhere, Reiko inched her way out from behind the table and silently continued down the hallway that she had just been standing in. This time, she walked to the room that she had heard Hatori's voice coming from and stood in the entryway. Should she go in? Oh, Fate. She didn't come all this way, just to turn chicken and turn back now.

"..." At this point, Reiko wasn't going to even try speaking now. She simply stood there and stared at the back of the Dragon's head. No, that wasn't why she was there either. One foot moved forward, followed by the other, and the teenager was soon standing kitty-corner behind the older teenager to his right. Her hand raised only to touch his shoulder very gently in a polite greeting.

_!_ The older teenager turned to find the Butterfly standing right there. "I didn't hear you come in," he said quietly, only for Reiko to shake her head and place a finger in front of her lips. "They wouldn't be able to hear you, would they?" She shook her head again and lowered her hand to produce her notepad and pen. "Did you come to offer me your condolences?" Reiko nodded. "I appreciate it. Thank you for coming."

He watched as Reiko started to write. Her writing filled up the front side of the page and part of the back side as well. "It's never easy to lose one parent, let alone both of them...there are still many things that I don't understand about people and life. Unfortunately, I understand death and the deep pain that comes with it all too well. You wonder if it was something that you did wrong, and so you start blaming yourself because of it. Then you wonder what it was that you could have done differently when the truth is, nothing we do would have changed the inevitable. It makes us feel powerless to think this, but it also frees us from the responsibility that would otherwise weigh us down like anchors in the sea. Hatori-san, your father was a great doctor who meant very well. So many of us owe him our lives. What can you do to honour him?"

As he held her notepad and read what she wrote, Reiko placed both of her hands on his shoulders. When he finished reading, he read what she wrote a second time. Then, "You too lost your parents?" Reiko nodded. She moved her hands to her throat to indicate that she had lost her ability to speak when she had lost them.

"You are not alone, Hatori-san. I will watch over you," she wrote when her notepad had been given back to her. Then she heard multiple pairs of footsteps from the opposite end of the hallway and put her finger back to her lips to indicate that her presence should not be reported to anybody. Hatori would get in trouble for dishonouring Akito's decision to not allow the Butterfly or the Cat near the Main House.

"There's a closet you can hide in across from this room. I'll guide them to the other end of the hall so that you can leave peacefully." He knew how to play along, and play along well, despite this being his first time harbouring the Butterfly. "Thank you, Reiko-san, for coming." He bowed and walked down the hallway so that she could retreat to the closet. It was a matter of waiting now; the young teen expected Hatori to take his time with the others.

What she hoped wouldn't happen was her transforming. There was only so much that she could take of hiding in such a small space before the feeling of being confined started to get to her, so she waited. After a few minutes, she could see Hatori leading that same older housekeeper and a couple of others past the closet. He was telling them about his needing advice of what to dress his father in for the service. Just another minute, and Reiko was sliding the closet door open as slowly as possible. She stepped out, slid the door shut just as slowly, and silently walked down the hallway towards the exit. Satisfied that she hadn't been caught, she stepped back into her boots, took her umbrella, and wasted no time in leaving Hatori's house behind.

–•–•–•–

The rain seemed to not want to let up, persistent that it was. Staying indoors to avoid catching a cold meant a cooking spree for Reiko, who had nowhere to go for now. Many, many ingredients were spread across the kitchen table and counter; it was the first thing Kazuma saw when he returned from the dojo.

"Hello, Rei-chan," he greeted warmly. The teenager paused mid page turn, having been on the search for a good cake recipe. She wanted to make Hatori a cake with a suitable message to have delivered to him. Anonymously? Maybe, or she could deliver it to him when he was preoccupied and wouldn't notice her. "What's with all of this?"

There it was! Reiko pulled out a card that she had been looking for, a recipe for chocolate cake with chocolate-drizzled strawberries on top. Even the frosting would be made of chocolate...or maybe she could make a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate-drizzled strawberries on top instead to balance out the sweetness. As she held up the card to show Kazuma, the ideas were already flowing through her mind.

"It's for Hatori," Reiko wrote, "I want him to know that he's being thought about." She took back the recipe card and looked it over. "Maybe I could bring him some soup as well?"

At least it was her doing the cooking, rather than Kazuma himself. The teenager had lost count of how many times she had to shoo her guardian away from the stove because he would be standing there with a book in his hand whilst whatever was cooking, burned and sometimes caught fire. "That's very thoughtful of you. I'm sure he would appreciate it," he told Reiko. _But, why? I have to wonder if this might have something to do with the tale that Akira-sama had told Rei-chan._ He couldn't help but err on the side of caution. What if Akito found out?

Akito wouldn't find out, however. That was one benefit to dressing entirely in black, especially at night. This time, Reiko pulled her hair back and kept it tucked within the long coat that she wore. She raised the hood up as well and walked carefully as she carried the cake in a plastic container. It wasn't just the cake she had, either. Earlier in the day, Reiko had decided to buy a card for Hatori. It was an American tradition to give a sympathy card, so when she arrived at Hatori's house several minutes later (she had taken a pathway that was infrequently used), she very quietly stepped inside.

This time, she left her boots on and tiptoed to the sitting room. The plan was to leave the cake and card in the kitchen; the card would sit beneath the plastic container. Much to her surprise, none of the housekeepers were around. They had to be fast asleep. Perfect. That meant she could do what she needed to and leave.

Maybe not! On her way out, she heard the sound of shuffling from one of the side hallways. Was she about to be caught? Even though she dressed entirely in black, Reiko had technically committed a crime. She had broken into Hatori's house, even though the door was unlocked. Quickly, now! The girl had to leave before she could be caught by one of the housekeepers!

"Is somebody there?" Wait a minute, that wasn't a housekeeper...that was Hatori. What was he doing awake at this hour? Like Reiko, he should be asleep. Fortunately, Reiko was already at the doorway. She only stopped to listen. "Huh. What's this..? An envelope?" What relief. He had looked under the container holding the cake and was now opening it. After several moments of silence, Reiko then heard him say, "How very thoughtful of her..."

Feeling warm with relief, the Butterfly's hostess stepped outside before running off back to Kazuma's.

* * *

And, there you have it. The rest will eventually be history from there regarding Hatori and Reiko, though I did enjoy the challenge of writing about Hatori's father. Let me know what you think with a review!


End file.
